Openness and Inerrancy: Can They Be Compatible?
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An Examination of Charles Hartshorne's Concept of God
THE DIVINE BECOMING: AN EXAMINATION OF CHARLES HARTSHORNE'S CONCEPT OF GOD By TERRY RICHARD HALL ~ Bachelor of Arts Oklahoma State University Stillwater, Oklahoma 1971 Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate College of the Oklahoma State University in partial fulfillment of the requirem~nts for the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS July, 1975 \he~~_s l ~15 1-111'fcl verf· ;;L STATE UNl'.'ERSITY Liaf<ARY OCT 23 1975 THE DIVINE BECOMING: AN EXAMINATION OF CHARLES HARTSHORNE'S CONCEPT OF GOD Thesis Approved: Dean of the Gl'a!uate C9llege 923517 ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to acknowledge my debt to t~e members of the Philosophy Department· at Oklahoma. State University. They have helped immeasurably in.my sometimes faltering efforts to achieve intellectual maturity. I, would like to espe cially mention Dr. Walter Scott, my thesis adviser, and Dr. Edward La~ry, who first.acquainted me with the thought of Charles Hartshorne. They have been a constant source of aid and encouragement in my· attempts to think through the topics covered in this thesis; without, their guidance and advice this-thesis could not, have been written. In addi tton, grateful appreciation is·· extended to Professor Charles. Hartshorne; with whom I was privileged to discuss some of these ideas during his visit to the Oklahoma State Univer sity campus in the spring of.1975. I am also grateful for the patien'l; assistance of my Wife, Valerie. It·is a singular good fortune.when one's wife is also a philosopher, and many of the.ideas treated herein became clearer as a result of her perceptive com ments. -
Statement of the Problem 1
Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary THE INCOMPATIBILITY OF OPEN THEISM WITH THE DOCTRINE OF INERRANCY A Report Presented in Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Theology by Stuart M. Mattfield 29 December 2014 Copyright © 2015 by Stuart M. Mattfield All Rights Reserved ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS As with all things, the first-fruits of my praise goes to God: Father, Son and Spirit. I pray this work brings Him glory and honor. To my love and wife, Heidi Ann: You have been my calm, my sanity, my helpful critic, and my biggest support. Thank you and I love you. To my kids: Madison, Samantha, and Nick: Thank you for your patience, your humor, and your love. Thank you to Dr. Kevin King and Dr. Dan Mitchell. I greatly appreciate your mentorship and patience through this process. iii ABSTRACT The primary purpose of this thesis is to show that the doctrine of open theism denies the doctrine of inerrancy. Specifically open theism falsely interprets Scriptural references to God’s Divine omniscience and sovereignty, and conversely ignores the weighty Scriptural references to those two attributes which attribute perfection and completeness in a manner which open theism explicitly denies. While the doctrine of inerrancy has been hotly debated since the Enlightenment, and mostly so through the modern and postmodern eras, it may be argued that there has been a traditional understanding of the Bible’s inerrancy that is drawn from Scripture, and has been held since the early church fathers up to today’s conservative theologians. This view was codified in October, 1978 in the form of the Chicago Statement of Biblical Inerrancy. -
Curriculum Vitae
Curriculum Vitae Name: Daniel A. Dombrowski Birthdate: August 8, l953 Citizenship: USA Address: Philosophy Department; Seattle University; Seattle, WA 98122 Phone: 206-296-5465 E-mail: <[email protected]> Education: University of Maine, B.A., l974 Saint Louis University, Ph.D., l978 Books: l. Plato's Philosophy of History (Washington, DC: University Press of America, l98l), 217 pp. 2. The Philosophy of Vegetarianism (Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, l984), 188 pp. Also Vegetarianism: The Philosophy Behind the Ethical Diet (London: Thorsons, l985), 188 pp. Forward by Peter Singer. 3. Thoreau the Platonist (Frankfurt: Verlag Peter Lang, l986), 219 pp. 4. Hartshorne and the Metaphysics of Animal Rights (Albany: State University of New York Press, l988), 159 pp. 5. Christian Pacifism (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1991), 181 pp. 6. St. John of the Cross: An Appreciation (Albany: State University of New York Press, 1992), 219 pp. 7. Analytic Theism, Hartshorne, and the Concept of God (Albany: State University of New York Press, 1996), 247 pp. 8. Babies and Beasts: The Argument from Marginal Cases (Champaign: University of Illinois Press, 1997), 221 pp. 9. Kazantzakis and God (Albany: State University of New York Press, 1997), 193 pp. 10. A Brief, Liberal, Catholic Defense of Abortion, with Robert Deltete (Champaign: University of Illinois Press, 2000), 158 pp. Also Una Difesa Cattolica Dell’Aborto. Tr. Susi Ferrarello (Rome: Aracne, 2013), 157 pp. 1 11. Not Even a Sparrow Falls: The Philosophy of Stephen R. L. Clark (East Lansing: Michigan State University Press, 2000), 366 pp. 12. Rawls and Religion: The Case for Political Liberalism (Albany: State University of New York Press, 2001), 192 pp. -
On Jesus' Eschatological Ignorance
On Jesus’ Eschatological Ignorance Edwin K. P. Chong Version: July 25, 2003 1 Jesus’ ignorance of His return One of the most difficult passages in the New Testament is Mark 13. Epitomizing the difficulty of this chapter is verse 32, which explicitly teaches that Jesus does not know when He will return:1 No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. An identical verse appears in Matthew 24:36. How is this compatible with the orthodox view that Jesus is God and hence is omniscient? Over the centuries, groups like the Ebionites, Arians, and Nestorians2 have used this verse to argue that Jesus was not fully divine.3 In response, the church fathers developed interpretive approaches to Mark 13:32, which today continue to form the basis for theological solutions to this problem. In 451 A.D., the Council of Chalcedon, in Act V, defined the union of the divine and human natures in the person of Christ.4 According to this definition, Christ is “truly God and truly man.” This Chalcedonian formula has since become a hallmark of orthodox Christology. How exactly does this orthodox view reckon with Mark 13:32? In this essay, I outline the prevalent solutions to the controversy surrounding Mark 13:32, the major proponents of each solution, and its basis. I also provide some evaluation of these solutions, indicating which have garnered mainstream acceptance, and why. 1Mark 13:32, New International Version. 2Over the centuries, a number of heresies on the divine and human nature of Christ have emerged. -
Aquinas to Whitehead: Seven Centuries of Metaphysics of Religion
125 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY A complete list of Charles Hartshorne's writings, arranged chronologically, was compiled and published by his wife, Dorothy. The bibliography of his writings until 1976 appeared in Process Studies, VI, 1 (Spring, 1976), pp. 73 - 93. The up-dated list, which includes his writings up to 1980, was published in Process Studies, XI, 2 (Summer, 1981), pp. 108 -112. Biblio graphies of secondary sources, also compiled by Mrs. Hartshorne, will be found in Process Studies, III, 3 (Fall, 1973), pp. 179-227 and Process Studies, XI, 2 (Spring, 1981), pp. 112 - 120. A list of dissertations and theses on Charles Hartshorne was prepared by Dean R. Fowler and published in Process Studies, III, 4 (Winter, 1973), pp. 304-307. Addenda to that list, compiled by Philip Ricards, appeared in Process Studies XI, 2 (Summer, 1981), pp. 151-152. PRIMARY SOURCES Books Anselm's Discovery. La Salle: Open Court, 1967. Aquinas to Whitehead: Seven Centuries of Metaphysics of Religion. The Aquinas Lecture, 1976. Milwaukee: Marquette University Publications, 1976. Beyond Humanism: Essays in the New Philosophy of Nature. Chicago: Willett, Clark & Co., 1937. Bison Book Edition, with new Preface. Lincoln: The University of Nebraska Press, 1968. Creative Synthesis and Philosophic Method. London: SCM Press, Ltd., 1970. La Salle: Open Court, 1970. Creativity in American Philosophy. State University of New York Press, 1984. The Divine Relativity: A Social Conception of God. The Terry Lectures, 1947. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1948. Insights and Oversights of Great Thinkers: an Evaluation of Western Philos ophy. State University of New York Press, 1983. -
Panentheism and Panexperientialism for Open and Relational Theology
Panentheism and Panexperientialism for Open and Relational Theology Thomas Jay Oord and Wm. Andrew Schwartz Open and relational theologies have a particular affinity for panentheism and panexperientialism (panpsychism). These theologies come in various forms, however. And scholars propose various forms of panentheism and panexperi- entialism. Diversity reigns. We begin this essay by describing open and relational theology. We also describe panentheism and panexperientialism, broadly understood. We note reasons why open and relational theists would be attracted to each. And we argue that panentheism and panexperientialism complement one another, al- though a person could be attracted only to one. Much of the essay argues for one form of open and relational theology we think makes the best sense overall. This form includes belief in a personal/ relational God, makes distinctions between God and creatures, affirms God ev- erlastingly creates (thereby denying creatio ex nihilo), and offers a solution to the theoretical aspect of the problem of evil. Adopting panexperientialism and panentheism offers ways to overcome theoretical problems in contemporary thought, while arguably motivating adherents of the view to love (promote overall well-being). 1. Open and Relational Theology The label »open and relational theology« serves as an umbrella designation for a family of theologies.1 This family shares at least two core convictions. The »open« aspect refers to the idea that both creatures and God experience the ongoingness of time. Consequently, both God and creatures face an open, yet to be determined future. Because the future is not actual, it is inherently 1 These include theologies using labels such as open theism, process theism, various relational theologies, some Wesleyan theologies, some feminist theologies, some ecological theologies, some Arminian theologies, some postcolonial theologies, and more. -
A Scriptural and Philosophical Evaluation of the Open Model of God As an Ontological Necessity and Its Compatibility with Evangelical Theology
Ouachita Baptist University Scholarly Commons @ Ouachita Honors Theses Carl Goodson Honors Program 2007 A Scriptural and Philosophical Evaluation of the Open Model of God as an Ontological Necessity and Its Compatibility with Evangelical Theology Richard Garrett Ham Jr. Ouachita Baptist University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarlycommons.obu.edu/honors_theses Part of the Biblical Studies Commons, Christianity Commons, and the Practical Theology Commons Recommended Citation Ham, Richard Garrett Jr., "A Scriptural and Philosophical Evaluation of the Open Model of God as an Ontological Necessity and Its Compatibility with Evangelical Theology" (2007). Honors Theses. 44. https://scholarlycommons.obu.edu/honors_theses/44 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Carl Goodson Honors Program at Scholarly Commons @ Ouachita. It has been accepted for inclusion in Honors Theses by an authorized administrator of Scholarly Commons @ Ouachita. For more information, please contact [email protected]. CI IAPTER I: INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................. ! Til£ EV.- \ 'I'GELICAL U'I'OEHSTAND II\"G OF SCIHPTUJn: ............................................................................................ 1 1'l1e Nature ofScriplllre ... ................................................................................................................... .................. 3 The Purpose ofScripture. ....... .... ...................... -
IS OPEN THEISM EVANGELICAL? . . . Bruce A. Ware
JETS 45/2 (June 2002) 193–212 DEFINING EVANGELICALISM’S BOUNDARIES THEOLOGICALLY: IS OPEN THEISM EVANGELICAL? bruce a. ware* i. introduction Clark Pinnock is exactly right. After noting (correctly) in his Most Moved Mover that Arminians and Augustinians have co-existed throughout much of the church’s history, and that a number of evangelical theologians today (and not just open theists) are working toward refinements in an evangeli- cal doctrine of God, he asks, “Why draw the line at foreknowledge?”1 A few pages later, he returns to this question: “In raising the issue of the divine foreknowledge, we have not transgressed some rule of theological discourse and placed ourselves outside the pale of orthodoxy. Why can an evangelical not propose a different view of this matter? What church council has de- clared it to be impossible? Since when has this become the criterion of being orthodox or unorthodox, evangelical or not evangelical?”2 What does Pinnock mean when he says that open theists have raised the issue of divine foreknowledge? Simply this: Open theism affirms God’s ex- haustive knowledge of the past and present, but it denies exhaustive divine foreknowledge, in that it denies that God knows—or can know—the future free decisions and actions of his moral creatures, even while it affirms that God knows all future possibilities and all divinely determined and logically- necessary future actualities. As William Hasker explains, “Since the future is genuinely open, since it is possible for a free agent to act in any of several different ways, it follows that it is not possible for God to have complete and exhaustive knowledge of the entire future.”3 So, the specific denial of exhaustive divine foreknowledge is embraced in open theism as central and essential to its own identity. -
Open Theism and Pentecostalism: a Comparative Study of the Godhead, Soteriology, Eschatology and Providence
OPEN THEISM AND PENTECOSTALISM: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE GODHEAD, SOTERIOLOGY, ESCHATOLOGY AND PROVIDENCE By RICHARD ALLAN A Thesis Submitted to the University of Birmingham for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Department of Theology and Religion School of Philosophy, Theology and Religion College of Arts and Law University of Birmingham March 2018 University of Birmingham Research Archive e-theses repository This unpublished thesis/dissertation is copyright of the author and/or third parties. The intellectual property rights of the author or third parties in respect of this work are as defined by The Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 or as modified by any successor legislation. Any use made of information contained in this thesis/dissertation must be in accordance with that legislation and must be properly acknowledged. Further distribution or reproduction in any format is prohibited without the permission of the copyright holder. ABSTRACT Despite Open Theism’s claims for a robust ‘Social’ Trinitarianism, there exists significant inconsistencies in how it is portrayed and subsequently applied within its wider theology. This sympathetic, yet critical, evaluation arises from the Pneumatological lacuna which exists not only in the conception of God as Trinity, but the subsequent treatment of divine providence, soteriology and eschatology. In overcoming this significant lacuna, the thesis adopts Francis Clooney’s comparative methodology as a means of initiating a comparative dialogue with Pentecostalism, to glean important insights concerning its Pneumatology. By engaging in the comparative dialogue between to the two communities, the novel insights regarding the Spirit are then incorporated into a provisional and experimental model of Open Theism entitled Realizing Eschatology. -
How Does God Respond to Prayer? a Reformed Response to the Openness Position Elizabeth Mehne April 26, 2002 Senior Integration P
How Does God Respond to Prayer? A Reformed Response to the Openness Position Elizabeth Mehne April 26, 2002 Senior Integration Paper How Does God Respond to Prayer? The controversial debate of Open Theism raises many issues critical to every Christian’s faith. Openness proponents claim to be presenting a newer, more biblically accurate picture of God’s nature. They believe that the God of the Bible has been hardened and obscured by tradition. In contrast to the Reformed view, Open theists elevate the concept of God as love, emphasizing his desire to take risks in a “give and take” relationship with his people.1 The God they describe is dynamic: he moves through time, experiencing with us our joys and our pain. Since God desires a real relationship with his people, he chooses to limit his knowledge of the future. Together, God and his people move through time determining what the future will be. This portrait of God is fascinating and appears to be supported by many proof-texts. Yet is this an accurate account of how Scripture describes God’s full-orbed glory? The God of Open Theism stands in drastic opposition to the Reformed understanding of God. This theology undermines the God who many of us trust, follow, honor, and obey. Open Theism in many ways is antithetical to the Reformed faith, and yet it claims to be an evangelical movement. Under this pretense, Open Theism has permeated many Christian circles and therefore poses a threat to the Church. The implications of Open theology are far reaching. This picture of God can greatly weaken a believer’s confidence in God’s omniscience and power. -
Open Theism and the Divine Timelessness Debate
TMSJ 18/1 (Spring 2007) 43-68 IS IT TIME TO CHANGE? OPEN THEISM AND THE DIVINE TIMELESSNESS DEBATE Marshall Wicks* The recent popularity of Open Theism in evangelical circles has raised questions regarding the traditional doctrine of divine eternality, timelessness, or atemporality. The questions necessitate a three-part investigation of the subject. Part one investigates the present status of temporality studies which define time as either tenseless or dynamic. Part two compares the temporal position with the atemporal. The classical position has been that God is timeless, but some recent evangelical scholars have come to view God as a temporal being, with some others theorizing that He is both temporal and atemporal. The temporal position criticizes atemporalism in three ways: (1) the Bible presents God as a temporal being; (2) the modern consensus is that God is temporal; (3) atemporality is a result of the influence of Greek philosophy on Christian doctrine; (4) the idea of a timeless God is incoherent. In each case, the criticisms prove to be invalid. Part three examines positions that attempt to maintain temporality and atemporality simultaneously, but the composite approach proves to be nothing but another way of stating the atemporal position. A successful defense of the atemporal position proves Open Theism to be an unorthodox version of theism that should be rejected. * * * * * No generation in Christian history has debated like ours about whether God is timeless or whether he has unending duration, that is, whether temporal existence extends interminably forward and backward.1 *Marshall Wicks is Professor of Bible at the Word of Life Bible Institute. -
Open Theism—A Review of the Issues Kwabena Donkor, BRI One Of
Open Theism—A Review of the Issues Kwabena Donkor, BRI One of the controversies that have created a bit of a stir in evangelical theological circles in recent times is the debate over what has come to be called, among others, “open theism.”1 The term “open theism” is noted to have been introduced in 1980 with the publication of Seventh-day Adventist theologian Richard Rice’s Openness of God. The issue was not broadly discussed, however, until 1994 when five essays were published by five Evangelical scholars, including Rice, under the title The Openness of God.2 The complexity of the subject compels us to limit our presentation in a manner that can be concise and still helpful. Only an overview may be attempted here, and even then this discussion intends to touch mainly on the key issues at stake in the controversy. I. What Is It? What is open theism? As the label implies open theism is a view of God and His relationship to reality that is characterized by openness. What does it mean for God to be open to reality? The critical issue is what is entailed in the caption “open” or “openness.” Gregory Boyd, a key advocate of this view describes the openness in this way: “Open view theists believe that the future exists partly as actualities (future events that God sovereignly determines to bring about) and partly as possibilities (aspects of the future which God sovereignly allows his creatures to bring about).”3 David Basinger, however, more specifically characterizes the openness in the following terms: “(1) God not only created this world